Is Atrantil the SIBO game changer it claims to be?

My functional med doc tossed this nutraceutical name my way as a possible treatment for my SIBO. Google search turned up a few IBS/SIBO sufferers who are trying it, but no real consensus yet on effectiveness. It apparently just came out this summer.

I went to their web site to see what was so special about Atrantil, and found an interesting description of how this supplement supposedly works to clean up the small intestine:

Atrantil is a patent-pending nutraceutical developed by Kenneth Brown, M.D., a Board-Certified Gastroenterologist to relieve bloating, abdominal discomfort and constipation caused by the production of methane in the small bowel. To achieve relief from symptoms, methane-producing archaebacteria in the small bowel must be eliminated.

3 Natural Ingredients Work In Synergy to Correct the Problem

1. Atrantil’s first ingredient (M. balsamea Wild extract) slows movement in the small bowel. This allows just the right amount of time for Atrantil’s two other ingredients to work most effectively.

2. Flavonoids (Quebracho extract) soak up hydrogen and weaken the archaebacteria. Flavonoids absorb hydrogen creating a less hospitable environment for methane-producing archaebacteria. In addition, the Flavonoids bind to and weaken the cell walls of the archaebacteria making these bacteria more susceptible to Atrantil’s third ingredient designed to eliminate these antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the small bowel.

3. Saponin (Conker Tree extract) stops methane production. The third ingredient has two major functions. First, it acts as a natural antibacterial and kills off bacteria that may be living in the small bowel. Second, it binds to the reductase enzyme within the already-weakened archaebacteria, halting methane production and ultimately eliminating the archaebacteria.

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While I've never been enthusiastic about being a guinea pig for new products, this one seems worthy of watching from the sidelines. That being said, I'm a bit reluctant regarding the natural ingredients being used, given my propensity for allergies and weird reactions to common substances.

While I'm familiar with the first ingredient (peppermint oil) -- which did absolutelynothing for my IBS years ago -- I have no experience with the other two. Quebracho extract has the potential to contain yohimbine, which is a potent alpha blocker that was often used for erectile dysfunction before Viagra hit the market. Conker Tree extract is also known as horse chestnut, has been used for various maladies, such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, malaria, arthritis, dysentery, and lupus.

Not exactly sure how the developers determined that quebracho and conker tree extracts work as antibiotics on the methane-producing bacteria, or how they determined the most effective dose to achieve that end. But if Atrantil is as good as they claim, this could be a more cost-effective treatment for SIBO than Xifaxan.

"We have both our randomized and open label studies pending publication. Once we receive approval from our society journals to post results, we will link to the publications from Atrantil.com and this blog post will be updated as well."

Dated middle of July 2015.

Nothing to lose really as they have a money back guarantee. Those ingredients have been found helpful for a number of people with MECFS. Flavonoids in particular can be helpful with inflammation in general.

"We have both our randomized and open label studies pending publication. Once we receive approval from our society journals to post results, we will link to the publications from Atrantil.com and this blog post will be updated as well

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That’s not enough information. Studies need to be cited and it's quite unprofessional if you don't.

Nothing to lose really as they have a money back guarantee. Those ingredients have been found helpful for a number of people with MECFS. Flavonoids in particular can be helpful with inflammation in general

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A money back guarantee doesn't really mean anything. It's often used as a sales gimmick. I have no idea if it applies to this website.

Have there been studies that show Flavonoids for MECFS or inflamation?

That’s not enough information. Studies need to be cited and it's quite unprofessional if you don't.

A money back guarantee doesn't really mean anything. It's often used as a sales gimmick. I have no idea if it applies to this website.

Have there been studies that show Flavonoids for MECFS or inflamation?

Ah, maybe that's the search term I should use. Thanks!

Barb

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If the studies aren't published, how can they be properly cited? It would be unprofessional to cite studies that are yet to be published. Telling people they are in the process of being published is reasonable if they are then published in a reasonable time frame.

It's a comment to a question on a blog post not a Congressional hearing.

A money back guarantee means you can return it for a refund. Don't see how that is a gimmick unless they don't honor it for some reason.

Ah I getcha. I missed that the studies have not been published. Have they been finished?

In this case, I think that making these claims before they are published, before other scientist have enough information and can critique them, is putting the cart before the horse. Again I think it's a bit dodgy to do this.

I tried looking up the second two ingredients and couldn't find even one bit of support for these claims (other than horse chestnut being a natural antibacterial, but millions of other herbs and foods are also antibacterial and haven't made any difference to my gut.

And it's suspicious when a manufacturer purposely uses the least common name for their herbal ingredients, instead of simply saying "horse chestnut". They may be trying to make their product seem more unique than it really is.

Don't be. With the way we've been treated,, the way studies have been interpreted to not benefit or even harmful to us, I think it's important to gather as much information as possible.

This goes for allopathic as well as alternative medicine. Also for other issues pertaining to the me/cfs community.

Knowledge is power. It helps us make decisions, even if we come to different conclusions.

I think this is what @out2lunch wanted but that's my interpretation. Sometimes I think I should have been a reference librarian as I love to look up things. When I have the energy/nonfoggy mind that is!
Barb

Its label uses latin names instead of common names. Not a nice thing to do. So here's what the three herbs are:

Peppermint, Horse Chestnut, and a high-tannin herb called Quebracho. A way to substitute a less expensive high-tannin herb is to buy the common herb White Oak Bark in capsules, which is widely available at supplement selling sites and low in price.

The makers of Atrantil state that the reason for the Quebracho is that it contains tannins. So logically, substituting a more available, less expensive herb high in tannins, one that is widely available for internal use on the market already, should perform similarly.

And the other two herbs, peppermint and horse chestnut, are widely available for low prices.

Don't know if this thread is still ongoing. But a few cautions about the herbs in this product. Quebracho contains 7 different alkaloids which may a problem for people with liver issues. It's also highly astringent so may be a problem for those constipated. Some people are highly allergic to horse chestnut. If you have a nut allergies of any kind this could be a serious problem. Peppermint contains a very volatile oil which may also pose problems for those sensitive to VOCs and who have sensitive stomachs. Everyone is unique and may respond differently to combined herbal products. I have found it best to take products individually first to see how I respond to them before taking a combined formula.

I know this thread has been quiet for awhile, but I've been supplementing atrantil for over a year and have had strong, lingering leaky gut symptoms even with my extremely limited aip, low oxalate, low fodmap diet (basically grass fed beef, lamb, wild caught fish and 4 organic veggies). I recently contacted atrantil regarding the change of capsule formulation from gelatin to veggie cap and was told that "one or more of the ingredients in atrantil does contain maltodextrin as a carrier or fill material." There is no indication of this or any corn ingredients on the label. I am utterly disgusted and frustrated.